


Oh, It's You

by butrfac14 (Endlessnightlock), endlessnightlock (Endlessnightlock)



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: E rating for future chapters, F/M, Madge is doing a lil' meddling, Peeta ogles Katniss in a bikini, Story on Hiatus, don't get excited yet ;), respectfully of course because it's Peeta and we expect no less
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:49:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23304913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Endlessnightlock/pseuds/butrfac14, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Endlessnightlock/pseuds/endlessnightlock
Summary: EverlarkFicExchange Prompt #12 Katniss walks out of the fitting room wearing only a bikini to ask her friend if it suits her but it isn't her friend at the other side of the door but Peeta. [submitted by anonymous]“This story is on hiatus”
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen & Madge Undersee, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark, Peeta Mellark & Delly Cartwright
Comments: 70
Kudos: 201
Collections: Everlark Fic Exchange - Springtime 2020





	1. Surprise!

**Author's Note:**

> Planning at least another 2 chapters for this story, not sure when I will get around to writing them, but ideas are brewing in the back of my mind :). 
> 
> Thanks to my lovely friend msariadneoliver for lending me her editing prowess on this first chapter- she's not even into Everlark so I doubly appreciated her help!

**Katniss**

“Which one do you like best?” I asked, holding up two different bathing suits- both cute choices, I thought, but nothing that showed too much skin. “I kind of like the pink one myself.”

“Neither,” Madge said flatly. She snatched both hangers from my hands and turned to put them on the rack so quickly you’d have thought they were venomous snakes. 

“What’s wrong with either of those?” I said.

Madge still had her back to me, but the eye-roll she gave was so hard I could  _ feel _ it. “You know what’s wrong with them, they’re one-piece. I told you, no one-pieces allowed on this trip.”

“ _ Madge.” _

“You need to relax. Loosen up a little. And the best way to do that is with some male attention.”

“But Madge, you know that most guys are dicks _.  _ I don’t want any male attention. I’m not interested. I’ve already told you, no thank you.”

“Female?”

“Nope. Still entirely straight, unfortunately.” 

That one got Madge to laugh at least. 

“Look, I’m just not interested in another person taking up space in my life right now.” She finally turned around and looked at me pointedly then. “And you know, I feel weird having this conversation with you. Why are you so interested in my love life?”

“You need one. That’s the point.”

My best friend had talked me into coming along with her to  _ Tigress _ , a swimsuit shop in the Capitol Mall, with the intent of finding a suit that I could take along to her destination wedding in Mexico. 

Believe me, that little bridezilla was lucky I loved her so much. It was my one day off of work this week, and it was a good hour and a half drive from our hometown of Panem to get here. If it’d been plausible I would’ve been more than happy to do my swimsuit shopping at home. 

Unfortunately for my shop-local sensibilities (the ones that had more to do with the fact that shopping in the Capitol was my own personal version of the seventh-level of hell), Panem’s mall had closed a few years ago, leaving us with a dismal selection of discount chain stores, thrift shops, or Effie’s World Fashions- a place where most of the clothes were suited to seventy-year-old cat-ladies, as our only choices. 

I’m pretty sure Madge would murder me before she’d let me buy a bathing suit from Wal-World or DollarMart for this trip.

Madge also absolutely shot down my idea of ordering a suit online; I wasn’t deemed “trustworthy” enough for that. “ _ I need to see what you’re looking at first hand,” she’d told me, “if I leave things up to you you’ll buy a frumpy granny-skirt or something.” _

Madge turned from the rack, and when she caught my eye I recognized the maniacal gleam in those seemingly innocent hazel eyes of hers. She was scheming. 

Madge sighed dramatically and put her arm around my shoulders, pulling me close- something she had to bend over to accomplish, being that she’s a good five inches taller than me. And today she wore heels. 

Who wore heels to shop in? I don’t know what kind of person would want to inflict that brand of misery on themselves...

Oh, wait. Nevermind, I forgot who I was talking about. 

Madge was a sadist.

“Katniss, don’t you ever, somewhere deep in the recesses of your mind, want to try and look  _ hot _ ?” she asked sweetly as if she didn’t already know the answer. “At least once in your life while you’re still young and cute?”

“No,” I said, shrugging her arm off. She was going to have to come up with a better argument than that. “I wouldn’t even know how to begin at this point.”

“Why do you say ridiculous stuff like that? You know it's not true. Deep inside that surly brain of yours is a party girl just itching to get out.”

“Not hardly,” I scowled and marched past her, intent on getting a look at a rack full of tankinis and foolishly hoping she’d drop the subject. I hated this particular conversation today, every bit as much as I’d hated it the one hundred and fifty other times I’ve had it with her in the past. 

I blindly stared down at the suits passing through my hands as they swished across the rack. I couldn’t have told you what a single one of them looked like, honestly. “You know I’m wired that way. I don’t do “sexy”.” I said.

Madge chased me down, hissing her response in a mock-whisper, which was patently ridiculous because people walking past the front entrance of the store could probably hear what she was saying. “You know as well as I do you’ve just got what Cato said stuck in your head.”

“It's not because of anything that lying sack of crap had to say,” I told her, exasperated. “Madge, what I'm trying to tell you is that it doesn’t  _ matter,  _ don’t you get it? I know I’m not sexy. I don’t need to be sexy, I can live a perfectly happy life as plain old me.”

“But-”   
  


“No buts- you need to accept it. I have an exercise for you now. Ready?”

It was her turn to scowl.

“Ready?” I repeated, mocking her chirpy tone. “Good. Now say it after me: “Katniss is not sexy. Katniss is a good person, so it doesn’t matter what she looks like-”

“Bullshit,” she countered. 

Oooh, Madge was swearing... that meant I’d gotten her riled up. She never swore. 

“That idiot didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground,” she continued, not allowing me to explain that my feelings had nothing to do with my ex, “especially when it came to anything that had the least bit of  _ something _ to do with you.”

“I know Madge…” I agreed, while privately musing that my friend seemed to have forgotten about all those losers she used to date herself. 

I felt like asking her if she needed to go to the hospital because I was fairly certain she’d developed a serious case of Gale Hawthorne-related amnesia. That guy had brought new meaning to the word prick.

“And bullshit to that second thing you said,” Madge continued, so impassioned by now that I watched spittle fly off her lips. “Sexy is what’s going on inside your head. Sexy is less about how you look and more about how you feel.”

“I  _ feel _ like I should live in sweatpants.”

Madge rolled her eyes. “You are  _ gorgeous _ . I just wish you could see that. And you’ve got a great little figure!” 

I scowled at her choice of words, letting my eyes drop briefly to her own much more impressive chest and curvy hips. “Yeah, “little” being the keyword.”

“Shut up. You don’t want big boobs anyway. They’re a pain. You’re lucky you’re smaller- you can wear all kinds of things I can’t fit into.” Madge looked over my shoulder, her eyes seeming to falter there for a millisecond before she glanced back at me. 

She looked away for so long that I was beginning to think I’d gotten a reprieve, but then she spoke up again, this time with a little smirk on her face. “Katniss, now I’m the one with the great idea. Yours was complete shit by the way- just so you know that.”

“Thanks,” I said sarcastically. “Are you going to leave me alone now and let me shop for suits in peace?”

“If you do one thing for me first. Humor me, please?”

I didn’t know whether I was going to like this or not, but I nodded.

“Go find a dressing room and I’ll bring you back some suits of my choosing. You have to try on everything I bring you. No buts.”

I rolled my eyes. 

“Please, just trust me. I have a much better sense of style than you do  _ and you know it…”  _ she sang the last few words and I groaned.

“Oh my god, stop it!” I grumbled. “Fine, whatever it takes to get you to knock it off. But no-.”

Madge cut me off. “No buts, I said. Trust me, I’ve only got your best interests in mind.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  


I shut the dressing room door behind me, and once I had secured the lock in place (damn thing didn’t seem to want to turn all the way), I proceeded to unbutton my jeans and shuck them off. I left them lying in a puddle on the floor. My shirt quickly followed, leaving me to wait for Madge in my bra and underwear, my thinking being that I might as well be prepared when she got here. 

The sooner I started trying things, the sooner we could leave.

A minute later, Madge knocked on the dressing room door, so I pulled it open just far enough to let her in before quickly shoving it closed behind her. 

“Oh good, you shaved,” she said after a quick perusal of my body. “That’s very good.”

“Why, does my body hair offend you?” I grumbled. “Because you know I don’t have to shave, right? I’ll walk around the beach like Bigfoot if I want to.”

“No-no-no. Don’t get huffy- I’m used to your hairy everything. It’s just that a smooth body will help you get into the right mental space for bikinis and sunshine, not to mention thoughts of a wedding hook-up!” Madge chirped.

“Shut up. Not having a wedding hook-up.” I told her, crossing my arms over my chest.

She just shrugged. “You never know though, do you Katniss?”

“Oh, believe me, I know.”

Madge smirked, so I changed the subject.

“No, I just figured I’d better be ready for anything today, so I gave in to the demands of society and got rid of my excess body hair,” I admitted, my eyes dropping to her armload of suits.“What did you bring me?”

“Oh you’re such a martyr for the cause Katniss,” Madge said, rolling her eyes. 

If we weren’t such good friends, I’d have wrung her neck by now.

“But I’ve brought you all kinds of good things,” she continued while hanging up about eight different bikinis- each in varying colors and degrees of tininess- on the closest hook hanging from the dressing room divider wall. “Just make sure you come out and show me when you find the one you like the best. I’ll be waiting outside the door when you’re ready, okay?”

  
  
  


**Peeta**

“Hang on, my shoe came untied,” Delly told me, halting abruptly in front of a high-end swimsuit shop and dropping to one knee. “I don’t want to trip over the laces.”

“You should have double-tied them,” I said. “Finally, you’re reaping the benefits of my years of advice.”

She shook her head, laughing without glancing up at me. Delly had spent years teasing me about my slightly obsessive relationship with my shoelaces. I’m sure she saw this coming from a mile away. “Ha-ha, smartass.”

She hesitated before standing up, and I groaned internally when I realized that something new had caught Delly’s interest. 

She squinted, staring inside the hazy yellow windows of  _ Tigress _ . 

After a moment, her whole face lit up with recognition. “Peeta, look!” she exclaimed, standing up quickly and grabbing my arm, pointing into the store like she’d found her long-lost puppy or something. “It’s Madge!”

“That’s weird seeing her here, don’t you think?” I asked, discreetly attempting to get Delly to walk again, and hoping my tone of voice told her that maybe we _ didn’t  _ need to stop and talk to each person we ran across today. 

“Hmm, well, she looks busy…” I added, for emphasis.

Any other time, I would have been more receptive to catching up with an old acquaintance from high school, but I was exhausted. And that was entirely Delly’s fault. She’d demanded I go on this shopping trip after I made the mistake of telling her I needed some new shoes. 

I finally gave in, because I thought I didn’t have anything better to do today, not realizing that scrubbing out the bakery’s oven with my toothbrush would have been an improvement over this.

Oh, to look back now and think of that younger, foolish, free-from-the-clutches-of-his-best friend version of myself from six hours ago, the one who hadn’t spent most of the day being dragged around the Capitol Mall like I was her personal manservant. That Peeta, innocent that he was, who had forgotten the way Delly liked to look at everything while shopping, and by everything I meant every. Single. Damn. Thing. In. Every. Single. Damn. Store.

It hadn’t taken me long to see the error of my ways, but at that point, it was much too late.

Turning to me, Delly popped her straw in her mouth and took a long drink of her lemonade, staring me dead in the eye, unblinking, before finally answering me like I was her two-year-old nephew. “We can’t do that Peeta, she’s waving us inside.” Delly finally said. “You don’t mind if we go in and talk to her, do you? I haven’t seen her in _so_ _long_. Did you know she’s getting married?”

“Yeah,” I shifted the bags in my hands and looked longingly towards the exit. “I heard.”

“So... do you mind?”

I sighed. It’d be nice if I ever learned how to say no to her. Today was not going to be that day it seemed. 

“Sure, Dells. Why not?” 

  
  
  
  


**Katniss**

  
  


“Madge…” I grumbled, looking around the dressing room furtively. I knew it was a waste of time because the space wasn’t that big, but I didn’t want to believe she’d done something like that to me. “I’m going to murder you.”

She’d taken my jeans and shirt with her!

I gave up the hunt for my dignity before glancing at myself in the mirror again with a sigh. I’d tried on all the bikinis, including one that was just a step above being naked- purely out of curiosity, of course. 

The suit I was left wearing was the only one she’d brought for me to try on that covered enough of my body to be somewhat decent. 

And honestly… I liked everything about it. I could admit to that.

The suit was a soft orange and had a simply-designed bottom that covered most of my ass along with a string top that made my breasts look good, leaving only the slightest hint of the tops and sides of my cleavage exposed. It wasn’t too much or too flashy. The suit was, dare I say, tasteful? Attractive. 

And I felt kind of hot in it. 

Who knew?

  
  
  
  
  


**Peeta**

  
  


“Peeta,” Madge greeted me, “you look great!”

‘Thanks, you too,” I told her, grinning. Madge Undersee still looked the same, blond and beautiful. Not that she’d ever really been my type. 

No, my interests had always lain with her high school best friend, someone smaller and less porcelain in appearance, with a long dark braid and an intimidating frown. 

Even after all this time, I found myself wondering what had happened to Katniss. 

It’d been years since I’d seen her, but she’d never really left me- she remained this ache that I knew would never go all the way away. 

I’d always been too nervous to talk to her back then, and I was still kicking myself over letting that opportunity slip through my fingers. Even after all this time, I’d never found another girl that measured up to Katniss in my eyes. That first crush had hit me hard and never left.

“You look worn out! Has Delly been making you drag her bags around?” Madge asked, putting a hand on my shoulder sympathetically. “You’re still such a good guy Peeta.” Her voice dropped conspiratorially then. “Are you seeing anyone by chance?”

I almost choked on my spit, the question was so unexpected. I knew she was engaged, so why was she asking? “No,” I replied, sure I sounded confused.

“Just checking,” she said easily, “you never know. Hey, there are some chairs over there by the dressing room. Why don’t you sit down for a while?” 

“That’s a great idea!” Delly chirped in. 

“They looked super comfortable,” Madge urged, lightly shoving me in that direction. “You might as well, I have all kinds of things I need to talk to Delly about!”

I thought briefly about resisting, but gave in when I realized how futile everything was. I might as well have skipped signing a new lease on my apartment last week because this mall seemed destined to become my new home. 

But why kick against the pricks? 

“Fine,” I said as I readjusted her bags to keep from dropping them. “Delly, just come get me when you’re ready?”

  
  
  
  


I made myself at home next to the dressing room, leaning back in the surprisingly comfortable upholstered chair and propping my legs up on the footrest. I even closed my eyes. 

I left my phone in my pocket because now that I was alone I realized how much I needed the quiet and wanted a chance to be alone with my thoughts. Seeing Madge again had shifted those old memories of Katniss to the front of my mind like it was 2009 all over again.

God, I still remembered how she was all I ever seemed to think about back then. 

There wasn't anything flashy about her. Katniss was a small girl with a slim figure, never really garnering as much attention as someone like Madge did from the guys in our class. 

But Katniss? She was just so pretty it drove me to distraction. Everything about her had me sweating and pining at the same time, especially the way she moved through the halls with no regard as to what anyone might think of her. She was cool and hard-edged and intimidating as hell. She never tried to be popular or trendy, but everything she did seemed to work for her. 

It definitely worked for me.

I wonder what happened to Katniss after high school. Was she married, or still living around here? I knew she’d gone out of state for college, and it wasn’t very often that people came back once they’d left. She wasn’t on any social media that I knew of, other than a Facebook page she hadn’t updated in about five years.

I don’t know what her life is like, but I’d love to see her again.

Maybe it was just the nostalgia talking, but it hit me hard, the realization of just how much I wanted to turn back the clock and have one more chance with Katniss Everdeen.

“Are you out there?” I heard a voice call from one of the dressing rooms. 

Shit, maybe I ought to move, I hadn’t realized anyone was using them.

The thing that was weird though? It sounded like the person on the other side of the wall was Katniss. 

I wanted to laugh at myself. There was no way it could be her! 

“Okay Madge,” I heard, and sat there watching, dumbfounded, while the dressing room door slowly opened. 

Oh god, it was her.

“I think I found one I like,” Katniss kept talking, looking down at her body, “although the suit probably could cover a little more. But I think you must’ve wanted me to show off my ass-“

My heart stopped when she looked up. I’d never known that was possible until that moment, but that’s exactly how it happened. 

Katniss’s eyes met mine, those same beautiful grey eyes that still haunted my dreams. That soft-looking mouth, hanging slightly open in shock, just the way I’m sure that mine was.

Katniss, completely surprised to see me. 

Katniss in a string bikini, standing there like a goddess on some random Friday afternoon. Smooth olive skin, gorgeous legs, a navel I’d like to drink out of, a slightly rounded stomach. And her breasts, they were beautifully shaped and had just the slightest, most devastating bit of overspill peeking out the sides. 

I think Katniss must’ve gained a little weight since high school or something, leaving her just a little fuller in all the right places. 

I was trying, really trying, to keep my eyes in respectable spots, but I just couldn’t take them off of her.

I’d never, ever, seen this much of Katniss and my mouth and brain both refused to work in the aftermath.

“Peeta?” she said hesitantly, pulling that braid I’d spent so much time wanting to know what it felt like over her shoulder.

I leaned forward then and forced myself to look up at her flushed face. “Hey…” I stuttered out, feeling like an idiot before correcting myself. “Hi, Katniss.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Scheming

**Katniss**

  
  
  


_Oh god. What was he doing here?_

Peeta Mellark, who was somehow even more handsome than he’d been the last time I saw him ten years ago, was sitting in one of the dressing room chairs of _Tigress_ gaping at me, and I do mean gaping _._

I couldn’t blame him, and that was in no way an egotistical statement. As I said, it’s been ten years, and the bikini covered less than what my bra and underwear would typically hide on any given day- which I was not in the habit of going out in, either. 

I mean, I definitely would have been surprised if I’d ran into Peeta in a speedo. 

_Peeta Mellark in a speedo… hmmm… that’s something I wouldn’t mind getting a look at._

Anyway, the two of us weren’t friends in high school, so my scantily clad body wasn’t something he was used to looking at. It’s not like Peeta and I hung out at his parent’s country club or anything. 

But since we were both adults now, I could at least try not to feel awkward as hell about this. 

It wouldn’t be easy; I’m not used to just lounging around half-clothed, casually talking to men who happened to be insanely attractive. 

“Why are you back here?” I asked, cringing at the tone that was shrill in my ears. Peeta froze in his seat.

Even for me, the moment felt awkward. 

But why should I care if I sounded like an idiot? It’s not like I was ever going to see him again. 

That thought was mildly depressing, so I decided not to dwell on it.

“Madge,” Peeta said finally, shaking his head as if he were coming out of a daze, “she told me I should come back here and sit down.”

“Why would she do that?” I asked rhetorically. Madge knew I was back here. I don’t know what she was thinking. _What a bonehead_ , I thought. She was going to be so surprised when I told her about this.

“No idea,” he replied, obviously trying not to stare at my breasts. 

Poor Peeta. I had to think he really must not get out a whole lot if seeing me in a bikini was affecting him this way. Which was ridiculous, because it was _Peeta Mellark_. 

Maybe he was the one who needed to get laid. 

Not that I should be thinking about Peeta Mellark getting laid in any way. No, that just conjured too many visuals in my mind that I had no business thinking about, especially right now.

He cleared his throat harshly and I couldn’t help but notice that not only was his neck red, but the fierce blush was creeping across his face. “I was with Delly. Delly Cartwright- do you remember Delly?”

I nodded in agreement.

I don’t think he even noticed. 

Peeta had only glanced above my shoulders once during this whole encounter, and now his gaze went downward to hover somewhere around my belly button like he didn’t know exactly where it was he was supposed to look. 

The crazy thing was that he couldn’t seem to _stop_ looking. Back in high school, Peeta had been one of those boys who were innately respectful. He’d seemed trustworthy- the kind of guy that if he offered you a ride home you wouldn’t have been nervous about accepting it. 

Not that he’d ever talked to me enough for that to happen. 

“So, how are you?” He asked, directing his question to my sternum. 

I couldn’t help the grin that stole across my face. 

The situation was completely outside of my comfort zone, yet not entirely I supposed because it was Peeta. Seventeen-year-old Katniss would have been much more nervous about this. I just felt kind of flattered.

“I’m fine,” I said, crossing my arms over my middle. “Just trying on suits. For Madge’s wedding.” 

I was tempted to ask him how this one looked, but I didn’t want to torment him too much. 

Madge was right on one thing, I had to give her that. I’m really glad I didn’t skip shaving today.

_Who was this version of Katniss?_ I asked myself as I flipped my hair over my shoulder. It must be all this bikini’s fault.

“I heard about the wedding. I’m pretty sure that’s what the two of them are talking about. Sounds like fun,” Peeta added, standing to his feet and looking as though he was getting ready to make a break for it.

I felt a little disappointed that he was going already. “So, you never said what you were here for today," I said, trying to hold him up for a few more minutes.

He let out a breath. “I’m looking for shoes, which I haven’t managed to find yet.”

“No?” I asked. I had to admit that I felt less on display with Peeta on his feet. At least being vertical he was able to look at my face more easily. Which he did for the most part, although he would still surreptitiously glance at my cleavage from time to time. 

It was almost laughable.

“Delly has been dragging me to every store in this place,” he admitted. “Everywhere except for the place I get my shoes.”

“It sounds like there’s a lot to unpack there with you and Delly,” I teased him. 

Peeta looked confused, but even I knew there wasn’t anything romantic going on between the two of them. He wasn’t Delly’s type, which was still exclusively female as far as I knew. “Do I detect a note of bitterness?” I asked.

The way he smiled back wide and honest made me feel warm all over. “That could be bitterness you’re picking up on, yes,” his voice dropped conspiratorially. “Can I be honest for a minute?”

Was he flirting with me? This kind of felt like flirting. I could never tell. I was frustratingly bad at reading people. 

But _maybe_ that’s what was happening.

I extended my arms in invitation. “Please, because no one is honest, and I could do with some honesty once in a while.”

“I was going to say that Delly was a tyrant-“

“She’s not?” I asked, laughing.

“Oh no- she is.” 

I snorted at that, and Peeta grinned widely at my reaction. 

God, he’s _funny_ , I realized, biting my lip to keep from laughing too loud.

“But she’s my best friend so it’d be pretty shitty of me to talk badly about her.”

  
  
  


**Peeta**

  
  
  
  


I can’t believe Katniss is laughing at my dumb jokes right now.

I can only remember hearing her laugh a handful of times the entirety of our high school years, and certainly not because of anything funny I said to her. 

That would have required getting over my fear of rejection and talking to her.

  
  
  
  
  


**Madge**

I peered over Delly’s shoulder discreetly. She kept shifting closer to me as she talked, but I couldn’t move, because there was a mirror situated just so that it allowed me to see what was going on inside the dressing room lounge. 

When Katniss walked out of her changing room and saw Peeta waiting there, I’m sure I was grinning like the Cheshire cat. 

This opportunity had been presented to me, and since I wasn’t a moron like my dear friend Katniss I was going to take full advantage of it. 

Those two idiots would be together in no time. Hopefully horizontal and naked.

Back in high school, I’d never seen the kind of obvious yearning that went on between those two outside of a period romance adaptation. I think Katniss may have been oblivious to the way she felt, but not Peeta. That boy walked around the halls like he could’ve had those cartoon red hearts over his eyes anytime Katniss was in sight. It would’ve been laughable if it hadn’t been so sad. 

I always assumed that Peeta would find a way to speak to her back then, but the frustrating thing was that he. Never. Did. 

Dammit, Peeta.

But now? All could be forgiven if he’d just make a move. But if he wouldn't I was going to be the one who made sure that happened.

“Your wedding sounds amazing!” Delly said, and I turned back to her, all excited blue eyes and bouncy blond curls. She was practically vibrating with excitement over my good news. “You picked a great location- I love the beaches there! My ex and I went a few years ago.” She sighed wistfully then. “Boy, I could use a vacation.”

Oh, thank you, Delly! 

She'd given me a brilliant idea…“Well you know, I had a few friends who just had to cancel on us,” I told her. “So there’s still a suite for two available. I have a few days left until I have to notify the resort.”

“There is?” She asked wistfully.

“There is. And maybe,” my voice dropped conspiratorially, “you could get Peeta to come along with you, too.”

“Peeta?” Delly looked puzzled for a minute. “You know I’m not dating him, right?”

“No, I know that!” I told her, laughing. “Delly, turn your head a little to the left and look in that mirror. Tell me what you see.”

For what I’m sure was the first time in her life, Delly was speechless as she took in the sight of Peeta and Katniss standing with each other in the dressing room lounge, talking and laughing. They both looked relaxed, and he kept inching closer to her. She still was watching the reflection in the mirror when I spoke up again. “So about the reservation- you’ll need to let me know in a day or two whether you want to take the spot or not-”

“I’ll take it,” Delly said firmly, turning to me with a maniacal sort of gleam in her eyes. 

Ah, a confirmed partner in my matchmaking scheme. This could come in handy since it was my wedding this was all going to be contrived around. 

“And don't worry, Peeta’s coming with me. I can talk him into anything.”

I didn't doubt that.

After exchanging a knowing smile with Delly, I glanced in the mirror again to see that Katniss had grabbed the handle of her dressing room door and was tugging on the thing as if it were stuck. 

"Oh, what's this development?" I said, and Delly giggled in response. "Watch this, but don't be too obvious."

  
  
  
  
  


**Katniss**

“Stupid door,” I muttered, grasping the handle to the dressing room door and tugging firmly. It wouldn’t budge.

“What’s wrong?” Peeta asked. 

“It’s stuck!” I told him, jiggling the handle like a madwoman. “It won’t budge.” I stepped closer to the door, turning so that my back was to him as I messed with the handle.

“Hang on, maybe I can get it,” Peeta offered. “Sometimes you just have to wiggle it the right way.”

I rolled my eyes at that. “I am wiggling it,” I said exasperatedly. “My wiggling this door handle isn’t any different because I’m not a man.”

Peeta huffed. “I didn’t mean you couldn’t do it because you’re a woman, Katniss. I just meant that I have a knack with these things sometimes.”

Feeling some of my ire cool I stepped backward, meaning to get out of his way. “Fine,” I told him huffily, “give it a try-”

Instead of moving out of his way though, I found myself backed up against a solid wall of muscular chest and thighs. I gasped at the contact. 

Peeta inhaled sharply, placing his hand on my hip to keep me balanced, the other hand curving around my shoulder. “Are you alright?” he asked, his voice low. “I should have warned you I was back here.”

_Oh_ _god_ , I felt my eyes flutter closed at his touch on my bare skin. 

“I’m fine,” I whispered, hating the tremor in my voice. Any of the confidence I had acquired a few minutes ago talking to him melted away as he held me against his body. 

I should have moved, or he should have moved.

I knew he would let me go if I stepped away from his grasp. It was Peeta, I wasn’t afraid of him. Fear wasn’t what was making my pulse race.

The thing was, neither of us seemed able to move. I felt the pressure of Peeta’s fingertips, heat from the points searing into my skin before his hands dropped. He stepped even closer to me then, until I could feel every inch of his body pressed against mine. 

My eyes drooped closed in anticipation of whatever it was he was about to do… And then, as I was preparing for him to do something crazy like press his lips against the side of my neck, I head a very distinct _click_. 

“Got it,” Peeta said. "Told you so."

I could feel the heat from his lips against the shell of my ear. What in the hell was he talking about? “Hmm?” I asked.

He made a little huffing sound, and I shivered at the feel of it rumbling through his chest pressed firmly against the points of my shoulders. “The door. I got the door open, Katniss.”

Oh, right. The door. I opened my eyes as he stepped away to give me some space, missing the heat from his body immediately. I couldn’t turn around and look at him though. I was too hot. Too flustered. Too goose-pimply.

I think Peeta must’ve felt the same because he laughed under his breath before clearing his throat. “So, ahh. I’d better let you get dressed then,” he said eventually like he didn't want to leave at all.

“Yeah, I guess so.” I acknowledged. There was a tense silence hanging between us before I finally looked over my shoulder at him. 

He looked unsure of himself, but then he caught my eye. His voice was unsteady when he spoke, and the words came out in a rush. “So Katniss, do you ah… do you think maybe you’d want to-”

But he was interrupted before getting a chance to finish his question. “Hey,” Madge said brightly, announcing her presence by barging into the lounge area with her arms full of my belongings. “I almost forgot I had your clothes!”

I scowled at her.

Forgot, my ass.

And if she’d forgotten, couldn’t she have waited a few more minutes?

“That bikini looks amazing on you by the way,” Madge said, her eyes freely wandering up and down my body. She nudged Peeta with her elbow. “Doesn’t she look amazing? You’re a man, surely you must’ve noticed.”

Peeta nodded, staring resolutely at his feet. 

“Are you so awestruck that you can’t come up with anything to say? The Peeta I used to know could think up with a compliment at the drop of a hat,” she continued needling him.

“She looks beautiful,” he replied softly.

I felt a blush climb up my face. What a lovely compliment. Too bad I wasn’t going to have the chance to tell him that myself.

Stupid Madge, ruining everything.

“It was so nice seeing you again Peeta. I think Delly is ready to go, she said something about the shoe store,” Madge prodded him. “And Katniss and I have things to do as well. Maybe we’ll see you later?”

“Yeah, yeah. Umm,” Peeta glanced up at me quickly, before looking down at his feet again. “I guess I’d better go. Bye Katniss. Madge.”

My heart sunk. I guess that was that. “Bye Peeta,” I said softly.

He nodded brusquely, before grabbing his bags and rushing out of the lounge area.

I watched him go before letting out a deep sigh. I took the clothes from Madge’s outstretched arms and turned to go back into the dressing room.

“Oh don’t look like I just kicked your puppy, Katniss. It’s not like you can’t find him again,” she said as I shut the dressing room door behind her.

“Whatever,” I grumbled, reaching around my back to untie the top. _Some friend you are_ , I thought uncharitably as I pulled my own clothes back on.

I heard Madge laugh from the other side of the door while I continued to stew. “You’ll see,” she said, “just trust me. I haven't let you down yet."

“I don’t know if I like the sound of that.”

“You'll like this, I promise.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love me some comments if you're feeling it! If not, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Number 3 shouldn't be too long in coming.


End file.
